Ziemba and Wong Star in Bay Street Pippin

By: Jun. 03, 2005
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B.D. Wong will portray the Leading Player and Karen Ziemba will slink across the stage as Fastrada in The Bay Street Theatre's production of Pippin, which will run from August 9th to September 4th at the respected Sag Harbor, Long Island theatre.

Set during the reign of Charlemagne in the middle ages, Pippin is the story of the title character's journey to find meaning in his life; he ultimately comes across it in the form of a lovely widow named Catherine. The Leading Player (Wong) juts in and out of the action to offer musical commentary while Fastrada (Ziemba) is Pippin's devious vamp of a stepmother.

Jack Hofsiss (The Elephant Man) will direct the musical, which was originally staged to conceptual perfection by Bob Fosse. Joey McKneeley (The Boy From Oz) will choreograph Pippin, while John McDaniel (Brooklyn, Taboo) will serve as music director. No other casting has been announced yet.

With a book by Roger O. Hirson and Fosse and a pop-infused score by Stephen Schwartz, Pippin won the 1973 Tony Award for Best Musical when it opened at the Imperial Theatre on October 23rd, 1972 to run for 1, 944 performances. The original production starred John Rubinstein as Pippin, Jill Clayburgh as Catherine, Irene Ryan as Berthe, Leland Palmer as Fastrada and Ben Vereen as the Leading Player (with the latter winning a Tony Award for Best Actor).

Ziemba has starred on Broadway in Steel Pier, Chicago, Crazy For You and A Chorus Line in addition to her numerous regional credits. The triple-threat star was Tony-nominated for her performances in Never Gonna Dance and Steel Pier, but won the 2000 Best Featured Actress Tony for Contact. Wong most recently starred as the Reciter in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures, and won the 1988 Best Actor in a Play Tony for M. Butterfly. He was also Linus in the revival of You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, and stars on TV's Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.

In other news, S.N. Behrman's drawing room farce No Time For Comedy will play at the Bay Street Theatre from June 14th to July 3rd with Sharon Lawrence ("NYPD Blue," Chicago), Edward Hibbert (Noises Off) , Mark Blum (Lost in Yonkers), Gammy Singer, Cynthia Watros and Gabriel Nussbaum in the cast. Daniel Gerroll (Rough Crossing and Blithe Spirit at the Bay Street) will helm this sophisticated tale that emphasizes the need for laughter in times of crises.

For more information on Pippin and No Time for Comedy, visit www.baystreet.org.




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